1. Field
This invention relates to lamps or lights mounted to caps. In one embodiment, this device relates to lamps or lights mounted to baseball type or visor type caps.
2. General Background
Prior art lights typically function by utilizing a bulky flashlight type apparatus that attach to cap bills with clips or are installed on the frontal crown areas, similar to a miner's beacon. There is also a style in which the apparatus is attached to the underside of a bill using a metal plate screwed into the bill. In these configurations the lighting apparatuses are mostly exposed consisting of bulky light fixtures, bulbs and mounting plates and significantly alter the aesthetic appearance of the cap. It is believed that the altered or odd appearance of such caps having an exposed lighting apparatus is one reason why such caps are not widely worn by the general public.
It is an object of the present invention of providing a cap and light assembly not substantially altering the appearance when compared to caps without light assemblies. In one embodiment the lighting device can be recessed in the bill underside and the power supply can also be recessed in the bill or located in crown area. It is an object of the present invention that, without the light turned on, the cap would appear substantially the same as a cap not having a lighting apparatus. Because the outward appearance of the cap is not significantly changed, it is believed that such caps would receive a better acceptance by the general public.
Another feature found in prior art cap lights is having the flashlight apparatus pointing in a direction generally away from and parallel with the wearer's line of sight, or parallel to the long axis of the bill. Such a configuration is satisfactory for lighting objects in front of the wearer and at a distance, but not good for illuminating objects directly under the wearer's facial area, such as reading a book or performing a task where the work area is very close.
It is an object of the present invention to have the light focused in a generally downward direction from the underside of the bill illuminating objects near the wearer's facial area and below.
It is another object of the invention to satisfy a need for a lighting device for a variety of uses such as safety, emergency, recreation, household uses and work related activities.
While certain novel features of this invention shown and described below are pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details specified, since a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. No feature of the invention is critical or essential unless it is expressly stated as being “critical” or “essential.”